pulitzer prize

REVIEW: Lyric Stage’s understated ‘Our Town’ makes the everyday extraordinary

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

The one constant is change.

Though in a sleepy town like Grover’s Corners, change may not be frequent, but with time, it is inevitable.

Directed discerningly by Courtney O’Connor, Lyric Stage Company of Boston continues Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer prize-winning drama, Our Town live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 19.  This classic three-act production is not limited to the stage and runs two hours and ten minutes including an intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Thomika Marie Bridwell* and Amanda Collins* in Lyric Stage’s ‘Our Town’ Photo by Nile Hawver

Our Town is one of the great American masterpieces of our time and holds a special place in my heart.  Its subtle yet gripping messages about the circle of life universally resonate and can speak to any generation.  I’ve seen Our Town several times before, and yet, every production is its own fresh and unique experience. 

An astute play, I believe your perception of Our Town changes as you grow and change.  Watching it as a teenager in a school play hits differently than seeing it as an adult and will transform again watching it as an elder.  In its simplicity, it carefully unveils life’s profound and fleeting journey while staying relevant for each generation.

Scenic designer Shelley Barish and costumer Rachel Padula-Shufelt embrace its timeless quality by creating a modest yet classic tone in each element of the production.  An impressive multipurpose wooden circular structure is the symbolic centerpiece of Grover’s Corners as Deb Sullivan’s rich and stirring lighting comes to life during affective and pivotal moments, especially in a vibrant purple moonlit sky bathed in puffy clouds.  Instead of using early 19th century period costumes, Rachel Padula-Shufelt shrewdly showcases classic Americana attire which includes suspenders, button down shirts, cardigans, stately three piece suits, understated dresses, and baseball and newsboy caps. 

WIll McGarrahan* in Lyric Stage’s ‘Our Town’ Photo by Nile Hawver

Using very few physical props, much of the production is traditionally imagined through Will McGarrahan‘s skilled and interactive narration as Stage Manager.  His engaging, mirthful and intimate delivery acts as part educator, omniscient narrator, occasional sage commentator, and at times, stepping into the action.

Kathy St. George* in Lyric Stage’s ‘Our Town’ Photo by Nile Hawver

As much as the show may focus on the residents of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, they are second fiddle to the town itself and its unfolding features.  Within the town’s examination and analysis starting in 1901, something lies deeper within its quiet beauty and unlocked doors.  It also contains a wealth of local references that is not too far from its Boston staging.

Darren Paul, Thomika Marie Bridwell,* Jacob Thomas Less, Kathy St. George,* Amanda Collins,* Jessie Garlick and John Kuntz* in Lyric Stage’s Our Town Photo by Nile Hawver

Whether it’s Josephine Moshiri Elwood as forthright and wondrous Emily or Thomika Marie Bridwell as fanciful Mrs. Gibb, delightful Kathy St. George as inquisitive and precocious Rebecca or Amanda Collins as staunch traditionalist Mrs. Webb or John Kuntz as frank and disheartened Simon Stimson, this wonderful and well cast company authentically explore the small joys, hardships and realities of life with humor, humility and grace.  Elwood as Emily and Dan Garcia as George Gibbs particularly share a sweet sincerity and idealistic charm as they discuss their bright futures.

Dan Garcia and Josephine Moshiri Elwood* in Lyric Stage’s ‘Our Town’ Photo by Nile Hawver

Some productions don’t need all the bells and whistles in order to be genuine and Our Town fits the bill through its strong sense of community.  In this age where life is becoming more and more digitized, this small town unpacks life’s perplex meaning through connection in an impactful production season by season. 

Directed discerningly by Courtney O’Connor, Lyric Stage Company of Boston continues Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer prize-winning drama, Our Town live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 19.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Kindness and the little things in SpeakEasy Stage’s dramedy ‘Primary Trust’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Kenneth’s visits to Wally’s Tiki Bar mean much more to him than just the two-for-one Mai Tais.

Quietly profound and inviting, Primary Trust is a unconventional journey about a lonely townie named Kenneth, performed with humble charm and simmering yearning by David J. Castillo, whose outlook on life is about to be shaken.

Arthur Gomez and David Castillo in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Primary Trust’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

With multilayered direction by Dawn M. Simmons, SpeakEasy Stage continues Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer prize-winning dramedy Primary Trust live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday, October 11.  This intriguing production runs approximately 100 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

What I love most about Eboni Booth’s sharp and rapid fire script is that it is upbeat and funny while evoking a wide spectrum of emotions within its snappy dialogue.  Anna Drummond’s urgent sound design keeps the pace of Booth’s charged and lively script as it veers from one quick witted scenario to the next.  This small cast is more than up for the challenge enhancing the unique and often changing essence of this production.

David Castillo Luis Negrón and Arthur Gomez in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Primary Trust’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

A show without set changes, Shelley’s Barish’s compelling scenic design holds small town charm divided into sections including an island-inspired Tiki Bar with colorful leis and hale illuminated by Christmas lights as part of Karen Perlow’s soft atmospheric lighting, a stack of oversized books with bookcases, a large bank sign with a large wad of cash and a cozy park bench with lamppost.

Set in the cheery small town of Cranberry, New York (with a population of 15,000) and a hint of Our Town familiarity, Castillo as Kenneth lives a life of simplicity and certainty spending his days with Arthur Gomez as Kenneth’s encouraging and supportive only friend Bert.  In glasses, jeans and a cardigan, Gomez delivers unassuming charisma and infuses warmth, optimism and enthusiasm into Bert’s candid and charming demeanor.  However, there is a lot more to wise Bert than keeping Kenneth company.  Sharing an endearing camaraderie and insightful dialogue, Gomez’s Bert is a source of security for Kenneth who is carrying a lot more than a lonely life on his shoulders.

Arthur Gomez and David Castillo in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Primary Trust’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

One would think connection might come naturally in a small town, but not for Kenneth.  With a nervous laugh, at times jittery demeanor, and a vast imagination, Castillo is excellent as Kenneth who confides in the audience and you can’t help but feel protective and a friend to him as he shares his setbacks and challenges while shyly appreciating the little things in life.

David Castillo and Janelle Grace in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Primary Trust’ Phot by Benjamin Rose Photography

Janelle Grace and Luis Negrón nimbly capture multiple roles during the production ranging from local townie to significant figures driving Kenneth’s story.  Luis Negrón transforms into each role so impressively, it may take a moment to catch on while Grace demonstrates amazing and occasionally frenzied comic timing stepping into each role.

Whether Kenneth is sharing a moment of understanding with Negrón or a joyful chance moment with Grace, Primary Trust demonstrates humanity and compassion in each authentic moment.

Primary Trust holds a few important twists and turns best experienced as the story unfolds.  Boasting an inherent depth, it has delightfully amusing moments that help smooth over the heavier elements and dark humor in Booth’s perceptive script without diminishing their significance.  Make no mistake Primary Trust will make you laugh as often as you might be moved.

David Castillo as Kenneth in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Primary Trust’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

SpeakEasy Stage continues Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer prize-winning dramedy Primary Trust live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday, October 11.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Seizing the day in harmony in North Shore Music Theatre’s ‘Rent’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Why do things happen the way they do?

Chance meetings and a string of random events bring a group of Bohemian artists together in profound ways as they struggle to survive in NYC.  Spanning one year from 1989-1990, North Shore Music Theatre’s Rent reveals a striking and darker interpretation than previous versions I have witnessed.  Perhaps it’s a reflection of our troubled times, but its powerful and optimistic message still remains that the best way to cope with suffering is by holding onto each other.

Directed poignantly yet hopefully with sharp choreography by Marcos Santana and vigorous music direction by Robert L. Rucinski, North Shore Music Theatre continued Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer prize-winning musical Rent live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, September 28.  This rock musical has adult themes and ran two hours and 35 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.  Click here for more information and here what is next in North Shore Music Theatre’s season.

The cast of “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

Having had phenomenal success as an acclaimed hit musical in the 90s and as one of the longest running shows on Broadway, Rent took the stage around the world and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2005.  It recently celebrated its 30th anniversary since its stage debut and it has been nearly 30 years since its Broadway debut.  In 2021, Lin-Manuel Miranda also directed the acclaimed film adaptation of autobiographical musical, Tick Tick Boom, based on Rent creator Jonathan Larson’s life starring Andrew Garfield.

Based on Puccini’s world famous opera, La bohème , Rent is a daring, joyous, raw, and poignant musical about a group of 20-somethings living in New York City during the AIDS epidemic.  It explores love, loss, hardships, dreams and realizations all while this group struggles to make the rent.

he cast of “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

A chalkboard graffiti-riddled floor, tattered rafters, scaffolding, glowing Christmas bulbs, street lights and a sporadically-lit and weathered neon sign illuminated by José Santiago’s vibrant lighting is just a portion of Jeffrey D. Kmiec’s industrial-inspired sliding set design depicting Mark and Roger’s East Village loft in Manhattan.  Rent truly comes to life through video designer Beth Truax’s cinematic touch and Alex Berg’s bustling sound design.

Like nostalgia of the era displayed in North Shore Music Theatre’s previous production of Grease, Rent showcases its own remnants of 80s and 90s nostalgic flair in combat boots, flannels, pay phones, corded phones, amusing answering machine messages and newspapers.

After a quieter opening scene, Rent hits the ground running with fervor, urgency, and pulsing chorography in its title track. This theatre-in-the-round’s immersive experience featured various incidents of kindness and conflict occurring in several parts of the theatre and this trend continued several more times ranging from humor to frustration in building intensity. 

Aaron Alcaraz (Mark Cohen) with the cast “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

Driven by powerful and edgy vocals, Rent’s characters are a combination of dreamers and those firmly planted in the present doing whatever it takes to get through everyday life.  Aaron Alcarez depicts ambitious and determined Mark, an aspiring documentary filmmaker living with his contemplative and temperamental roommate Roger, portrayed movingly by Austin Turner.  Roger is HIV-positive, a recovering drug addict and with guitar in hand, vows to write one amazing song before he passes demonstrated in rising triumph in One Song Glory.  However, when Didi Romero as vivacious Mimi shows up at their apartment, life takes an unexpected turn demonstrated in a playful duet and instant chemistry with Turner in Will You Light My Candle and the sincere and tender, I Should Tell You.

Didi Romero as Mimi Marquez in “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

In fishnet tights and layered clothing, Romero is daring, charming and bold as free spirit Mimi fueled by Romero’s provocative and soaring vocals Out Tonight, possessing more than a passing resemblance to Idina Menzel who portrayed Mimi in the 2005 film.  Robert Garcia approaches complex Angel with a self-assured kindness and less splashy demeanor in Are You Okay while Aaron Arnel Harrington warmly portrays Collins with a distinctive deep baritone.

Isaiah Rose Garcia (Angel Dumott Schunard) and Aaron Arnell Harrington (Tom Collins) in “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

A jumble of ostentatious ego, stubbornness and high maintenance, Cate Hayman puts gusto in Maureen, especially in a gutsy and unhinged rendition of Over the Moon.  Level headed and hardnosed lawyer Joanne, portrayed with powerful vocals and a guttural growl by Kat Rodriguez, rocks in Take me or Leave Me, but one of the best moments of the musical occurs between Alcaraz and Rodriguez in a catchy, chiming and playful harmony in Tango: Maureen.

Kat Rodriguez (Joanne Jefferson) and Aaron Alcaraz (Mark Cohen) in “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

Grave issues such as homelessness, capitalism, promiscuity and drug addiction are often laid bare in Rent and is partially demonstrated in the bold La Vie Boehme.  Romance in this musical makes an impact, but what far exceeds the romance is the incredible harmony and camaraderie this group creates together.  Christmas Bells, Happy New Year, and Another Day soar, but nothing quite compares to the musical’s iconic number, Seasons of Love in which the audience shared a moment of stunned silence in awe of the stirring power of that moment.

Aaron Alcaraz (Mark Cohen), Aaron Arnell Harrington (Tom Collins), Austin Turner (Roger Davis), Didi Romero (Mimi Marquez), Cate Hayman (Maureen Johnson), and Kat Rodriguez (Joanne Jefferson) in “Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre thru September 28. Photos © Paul Lyden

North Shore Music Theatre continued Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer prize-winning musical Rent live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, September 28.  Click here for more information and here for here for what is next in North Shore Music Theatre’s season.

REVIEW:  Actors’ Shakespeare Project delivers an astounding ‘The Piano Lesson’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

“Money can’t buy what the piano costs.”

Berniece’s significant comment is markedly underestimated by Boy Willie, portrayed with tenacity, blind ambition and frenzied charm by Omar Robinson, who has big plans and is not wasting any time gathering what he came for…the family piano.  However, Jade Guerra as Berniece might not be the only one standing in his way.

Profoundly directed by Christopher V. Edwards, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Piano Lesson live and in person at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury, Massachusetts through Sunday, February 23.  A moving and intriguing mix of humor, suspense, storytelling, and legacy, The Piano Lesson  runs 2 hours and 45 minutes including one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Omar Robinson and Anthony T Goss in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Featuring a billboard amid an ominous sky resembling the Pittsburg of Wilson’s Seven Guitars in which this show is also set except in 1936 during the Great Depression, Jon Savage’s layered, two floor scenic design allows the audience to see beyond what the cast can which becomes invaluable later in the production.  A green front door stands ahead of a spacious house featuring a living room with an attached kitchen, a large wooden staircase, vintage striped couch with softly lit retro lamps, an overhead brass chandelier and a chiseled black piano sitting center stage.  Highlighted by watch chains, suspenders, denim overalls, Ava tea dresses and three piece suits, Costumer Nia Safarr Banks not only aptly rewinds the clock, but captures each character’s distinct personality and individuality through their wardrobe.  Lighting designer Isaak Olson working together with sound designer James Cannon and R. M. Lawrence’s music direction generate surging and thrilling special effects at pivotal moments during the production.

The set of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Having witnessed Netflix’s lauded The Piano Lesson back to back with this production, Actors Shakespeare Project’s The Piano Lesson is an all encompassing and far more powerful show even with Samuel L. Jackson filling Doaker’s discerning shoes.  The Piano Lesson delivers all the elements of a compelling story including humor, suspense, camaraderie, poignancy and carefully developed characters carrying more than a few regrets.  Although Netflix’s The Piano Lesson is an acclaimed work, this production’s intensity and style is best enjoyed with the action unfolding onstage simultaneously and all at once.

Jonathan Kitt and “ranney” in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

The production’s tone can be heavy, but is balanced by each member of this collaborative cast sharing a candid, organic and fascinating chemistry while delivering August Wilson’s robust dialogue at a lively and engrossing pace.  The comical moments and family tension builds right from the start and Jonathan Kitt’s frank and engaging storytelling reels you right into the Charles family’s harrowing history. 

Omar Robinson, “ranney”, Anthony T Goss, Daniel Rios Jr. and Jonathan Kitt in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

As the family matriarch and the voice of reason, Kitt portrays railroad cook Doaker’s low key presence with a wonderful humility, quiet strength and discernment.  Doaker wisely and metaphorically explains, “Train is going to get where it’s going.  It might not be where you going …the train don’t never stop.  It’ll come back every time.” 

Jade Guerra, “ranney”, Jonathan Kitt and Omar Robinson in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

“Ranney” is humorous, savvy and at times unhinged applying wildly amusing expressions as Wining Boy, Doaker’s sharply dressed and talented musician brother.  A comic force sharing anecdotes and a warm camaraderie with Kitt’s Doaker, “ranney” especially shines during a humorous scene attempting to sell a suit to Anthony T Goss as Lymon.  Wilson also demonstrates some observable inherited family traits within the Charles family including Boy Willie’s competitive instincts and confidence that may not have fallen far from the family tree in his Uncle Wining Boy.  It’s just one example of all the subtle yet significant connections Wilson establishes that seamlessly tie these characters together to refine its remarkable conclusion.

Jade Guerra and Daniel Rios Jr. in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

With amiable charm and naiveté, Anthony T Goss is wonderful as quiet, sympathetic and well meaning Lymon.  Goss makes the character one to root for through his easygoing demeanor and mannerisms.  Jade Guerra creates a unique and impressive intensity as tough and capable Berniece, a widowed mother ahead of her time carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders while sharing heated and riveting scenes with Robinson as persistent Boy Willie and letting the barbs fly.  Daniel Rio Jr.  infuses reserved conviction and earnestness as Avery, especially in his attempt to ease Berniece’s struggles.  Brittani J. McBride as flirtatious yet complicated Grace and Ariel Phillips as beautiful and precocious Maretha hold their own rounding out this compelling cast.

Jade Guerra and Ariel Phillips in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Exploring family, slavery, hardships, trauma and legacy, one of the most impactful scenes involve Robinson, Goss, Kitt, and “ranney” joining together in a zealous rendition of a hymn improvising with makeshift household instruments while processing their generational trauma together and as individuals working through their past and current hardships.  Enhanced by this skilled group, Edwards masterfully executes this multilayered scene that is warm, poignant, and powerful all at once.

Omar Robinson, Jonathan Kitt, “ranney”, and Anthony T Goss in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Led by Omar Robinson who is fantastic as frenzied, excitable yet mysterious Boy Willie, The Piano Lesson culminates into a tremendous finale connecting each piece of August Wilson’s rich storytelling for a memorable and intense ending that may remain with you long after the production is over.

One of the best productions I have seen all season, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Piano Lesson live and in person at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury, Massachusetts through Sunday, February 23.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  A stellar cast leads Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s extraordinary ‘next to normal’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Diane’s world looks different and although it seems like an ordinary day, she is on the brink.

One would never know what Sherée Marcelle as Diane is going through at first glance.  It seems a typical day in the lives of The Goodman family as they roam around the house, caught up in an average school morning.  The mundane and stressful routines do not hint of what is in store for Diane during the bustling and humorous number, Just Another Day.  However, this particular day will be different and it will affect everyone around her.

Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Astutely directed and symbolically choreographed by Pascale Florestal with excellent musical direction by Katie Bickford, Central Square Theater co-produced by Front Porch Arts Collective continues the Pulitzer Prize-winning and multiple Tony Award-winning rock musical, next to normal live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 30.  This fascinating production contains adult themes and is approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Anthony Pires, Jr. Sherée Marcelle, and Diego Cintrón in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

With significant Easter eggs floating above Erik D. Diaz’s meaningful and multi-tiered set connected notably by a spiral staircase and a central door, most of the scenes take place inside the Goodman household with the exception of the living room that doubles as an office space.  Mark Clark Wonson’s evocative lighting pulses and radiates on this production’s veering emotional journey and Kiara Escalera’s vibrant costumes often complement each other in stripes, patterns and shades between Anthony Pires Jr. as Dan and Marcelle and most notably in shades of blue later depicted between Cortlandt Barrett as Natalie and Dashawn McClinton as Henry.

Next to normal is a well paced and revealing musical journey about a troubled family who hides it well.  It delves into dysfunction and disorders with a bittersweet and relatable gusto and Brian Yorkey’s thought provoking script with dynamic and captivating music by Tom Kitt work together to unravel the nature of Diane’s illness and how each character is affected in Diane’s struggle.  I have seen quite a few great performances lately, but helmed by Sherée Marcelle as Diane, this is a powerhouse.  Each one of the next to normal cast delivers compelling performances with the vocal chops to prove it while conscientiously revealing their unique way of managing the complexity of their lives.

Anthony Pires, Jr. and Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

With glassy eyed confusion and shaking fingers, Sherée Marcelle as Diane is overwhelmed by her life.  Marcelle evokes the anxiousness, disillusionment, trauma, and the submersion Diane faces as bipolar and her yearning vocals unleash the suffering she endures living in her head searching for relief in I Miss the Mountains.  Marcelle is amazing as Diane who feels trapped wherever she is.  Numb or overdrive where reaching for normal never feels quite right. 

The catchy and dark satirical parody, Who’s Crazy / My Psychopharmacologist and I paints and infuses humor into a reeling picture of her battle while also providing a peek into how this affects those around her like her concerned grounded husband portrayed charismatically and sympathetically by Pires Jr. as Dan whose patience is quickly unraveling in his search for answers.  Ricardo “Ricky” Holguin in a dual role is hilarious as a deadpan doctor, wild, then later poignant full of compassion and concern. 

Ricardo “Ricky” Holguin and Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Pires Jr. and Marcelle is an enthralling pair mastering complex and rhythmic harmonies as well as visceral emotions with zeal and intensity.  In one of the production’s lighter moments and next to normal contains as much humor as it does drama, Pires Jr. nails the giddy and quick-paced number It’s Gonna Be Good  in helpless wonder and perfect harmony with the rest of the cast. 

Cortlandt Barrett and Dashawn McClinton in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to Normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Cortlandt Barrett’s impressive vocals expel a painful cadence as the struggling, often neglected and perfectionist daughter, Natalie.  Barrett and Marcelle share their frames of mind in Wish I Were Here and with the cast in an absorbing Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling. Barrett also shares warm chemistry with Dashawn McClinton as persistent and earnest Henry who is instantly lovable in an intriguing rendition of Perfect for You.  Diego Cintrón is lively and memorable, especially in an eerie rendition of There’s a World and with Marcelle and Barrett for a poignant and revealing rendition of Superboy and the Invisible Girl.  

Sherée Marcelle and Cortlandt Barrett in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Next to Normal has a few bombshell revelations and the production not only paints an authentic and educational picture of mental illness, but love’s carefree but oftentimes arduous journey with humor, heart and hope.  Mental illness makes it difficult to escape from inside one’s head so it shuts people out.   As the daughter of a person with depression, it was eye-opening to see a reflection of these challenges within the family and to witness someone so well loved struggling for the strength to see beyond the pain and find the other side.

Anthony Pires, Jr. Sherée Marcelle Diego Cintrón in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Astutely directed and symbolically choreographed by Pascale Florestal with excellent musical direction by Katie Bickford, Central Square Theater co-produced by Front Porch Arts Collective continues the multiple Tony Award-winning rock musical, next to normal live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 30.  This fascinating production contains adult themes and is approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston looks at love and sacrifice in a breezy ‘South Pacific’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Long ago and far away on the islands of the South Pacific, the turbulence of World War II leaves the South Pacific in peril.  The challenges that face this particular group of people may be the only thing that turns the tide.

Directed and choreographed by Rachel Bertone and adapted from James A. Michener’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston kicked off its 55th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Golden Age musical classic, South Pacific live and in person at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 23.  This family-friendly production is approximately two hours and 30 min with a 15 minute intermission.   Click here for more information and for tickets.

Penelope Rhoads and Lola Rhoads in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s ‘South Pacific’ Photo by Bob Pascucci

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific focuses on love, sacrifice, and survival during a turning point in World War II, but also features many lighthearted and humorous moments under Rachel Bertone’s direction and mix of delicate and energetic choreography from the endearing Dites-Moi featuring graceful Penelope Rhoads as Nguana and Lola Rhoads as Jerome to the high-spirited There is Nothing Like a Dame to the carefree comedy of Honey Bun featuring charismatic, wisecracking but well-meaning Luther depicted impressively by Brendan McGrady with a smirk and thick New York accent. With strong and engaging vocals navigated by Music Director David Coleman, South Pacific boasts a long list of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s revered American Standard classic tunes.

 Janie E. Howland’s breezy, tropical, and wicker-infused set includes painted tropical flowers, towering palm trees, and signs of significant locations as well as a surprising special effect with a helicopter.  Blended with Frank Meissner Jr’s radiant lighting, South Pacific illuminates compelling landscapes from dawn to daybreak as well as a gleaming aqua coastline.  Emerald City Theatrical’s terrifically retro costumes range from vintage cheerfully colored casual wear to authentic looking uniforms. 

Jennifer Ellis and Christopher Chew in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s ‘South Pacific’ Photo by Bob Pascucci

Jennifer Ellis blends effervescence and effortless charm as Nellie Forbush, a GI nurse from Arkansas who quickly falls for Christopher Chew as Emile de Becque, an older, worldly and mysterious Frenchman who resides on an island plantation.  Both are incredibly curious about the other and consider each other way out of their league.  Chew and Ellis share romantic tension-fueled chemistry, making it sweet to witness their awkward conversions.  There is warmth between these two and Chew’s marvelous vocals deliver a beautiful rendition of Some Enchanted Evening after Ellis shares her lighthearted nature in an enchanting rendition of Cockeyed Optimist.

Emile and Nellie seem to have a mature love that is often tested as the production progresses.  This show is less about love triangles, but more about love at first sight and the challenges that each one of them face as war hangs in the balance. 

Lisa Yuen in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s ‘South Pacific’ Photo by Bob Pascucci

Another captivating yet fiery presence is Lisa Yuen as determined, practical and shrewd businesswoman Bloody Mary.  Yuen’s candid, direct and persistent demeanor as a Tonkinese woman attempting to find success is excellent, especially as she outsmarts some GIs she encounters for a deal.  She has a wonderful rapport and chumminess with the GIs, especially during the number Bloody Mary through Bertone’s lively choreography.  Yuen shares a funny first encounter with Blake DuBois as cool, collected and enigmatic Lieutenant Joseph Cable who delivers a memorable rendition of Younger than Springtime.  Yuen’s Bloody Mary just might be the most earnest and levelheaded individual in the production, her haunting vocals on full display in Bali Ha’i and heartfelt alongside Calico Valasco as Liat in Happy Talk. 

Lisa Yuen and Calico Valasco in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s ‘South Pacific’ Photo by Bob Pascucci

Some aspects of South Pacific still seem dated and a little cloying and with much respect to Rodgers and Hammerstein, South Pacific is not as emotionally charged as their other works and often found myself questioning the motivation of some of these characters.  For example, Ellis as Nellie seems impulsive and indecisive just as quickly as she seems so certain.   Perhaps it was just a different time.  Otherwise, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s South Pacific is a memorable, family-friendly day at the theatre with a strong and timeless inherent message.

Jennifer Ellis as Nellie and the cast of Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s ‘South Pacific’ Photo by Bob Pascucci

Directed and choreographed by Rachel Bertone and adapted from James A. Michener’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston kicked off its 55th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Golden Age musical classic, South Pacific live and in person at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 23.  This family-friendly production is approximately two hours and 30 min with a 15 minute intermission.   Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: SpeakEasy Stage Company and Front Porch Arts Collective’s introspective ‘A Strange Loop’ clever from the start

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

A Strange Loop’ is quite the existential crisis in one serious brainstorm.

Usher dreams of becoming a musical theatre writer.  In hopes of brighter prospects, Usher works as an usher on Broadway for Disney’s The Lion King musical but feels stuck.  Stuck in a pattern and flooded with self loathing and self defeatist thoughts over the pressure to be brilliant and accepted, Usher needs to overcome a great deal in order to create something great.

With Maurice Emmanuel Parent’s versatile direction and David Freeman Coleman’s complex music direction with expeditious choreography by Taavon Gamble, SpeakEasy Stage Company in co-production with Front Porch Arts Collective continues Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning dark musical comedy satire A Strange Loop though Saturday, May 25 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts.  This unique and multifaceted production has explicit language, adult themes, and runs 100 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Kai Clifton (center) and the company of A STRANGE LOOP. Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

To say this production is multi-layered is an understatement.  It focuses on a queer black writer writing a musical about a queer black writer writing a musical about a queer black writer.  Usher, in a vivid, poignant and moving portrayal sung beautifully by Kai Clifton, is not only dealing with writer’s block but is overwhelmed by unpredictable, wild, unhinged, uninhibited, and punishing thoughts and it doesn’t take long to realize how brutal and undeserving these thoughts are for Usher’s wellbeing.  Kai Clifton’s Usher is reserved, shy, and nonconfrontational on the outside, but suffers from inner turmoil and loneliness.  Usher’s perspective of reality is a landscape of discouragement and the desire to be someone else, but also the desire to be free to be accepted for who Usher really is.

Kai Clifton (center) and the company of A STRANGE LOOP. Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

These frenzied thoughts, composed of Grant Evan, Davron S. Monroe, Jonathan Melo, Aaron Michael Ray, De’Lon Grant, and Zion Middleton, are compartmentalized cleverly into black stage lit cubes by John Savage and lighting designer Brian J. Lillienthal which act as a compelling metaphor for one’s tendency to  compartmentalize inner thoughts and feelings.  With powerful vocals and animated velocity, these actors master the gravity of quick changes in mood, personality, and roles seamlessly and with precision.

Some of the individual thoughts pop into multiple roles in Usher’s perception of reality as well.  In the comically guilt-ridden number, We Wanna Know, the cast wears identical housedresses and represents Usher’s pushy, religious and gossipy mother in various ways.  Clifton lets loose with Inner White Girl before taking a darker turn with the evasive yet telling Didn’t Want Nothing reflecting Usher’s strained relationship with Usher’s father.

The company of A STRANGE LOOP. Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

The loops in this production are not restricted to Usher’s thoughts but exist in circular conversations with parents, critics and others that have their own ideas of what Usher should write about and what they are comfortable with and if this production is being done right, the audience is anything but comfortable.  It also explores the psychological and frustrating journey of a writer and the pressure to write what is popular or safe rather than writing from the heart.  The notably well staged and satirical numbers Tyler Perry Writes Real Life and Writing a Gospel Play are both powerful, humorous and delve into some of these themes. 

Kai Clifton (center) and the company of A STRANGE LOOP. Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

A Strange Loop runs the gamut of raw emotions including fear and painful regret in the conflicted and sympathetic number Boundaries, gripping Memory Song, and the stirring title track.  It is humorous, but is also a harsh, shocking and challenging production.  Michael R. Jackson has noted that this Pulitzer prize-winning production is fiction, but perhaps emotionally autobiographical in its musical theatre style collection of original, evocative, and thought provoking songs that drives the show to its striking conclusion.

With Maurice Emmanuel Parent’s versatile direction and David Freeman Coleman’s complex music direction with expeditious choreography by Taavon Gamble, SpeakEasy Stage Company in co-production with Front Porch Arts Collective continues Michael R. Jackson’s dark musical comedy satire A Strange Loop though Saturday, May 25 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts.  This distinctive and multifaceted production has explicit language, adult themes, and runs 100 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  The risk of depending on one another in SpeakEasy Stage Company’s tender ‘Cost of Living’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

‘It’s just unfortunate that some people have already lived a lot of life before they meet other people.’

This introspective observance is one of several pearls of wisdom from Martyna Majok’s insightful and perceptive script focusing on four struggling individuals in two parallel and intersecting stories as SpeakEasy Stage presents Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Cost of Living live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday, March 30.  Sensitively directed by Alex Lonati, this thought provoking production contains strong language, adult themes, and runs 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Scenic director Janie E Howland’s muted colored set includes blocks of windows stacked in various sizes as shadows of individuals glow in pastel illumination by lighting designer Amanda E. Fallon.  We are the observers of these two pairs of individuals and Fallon infuses subtle and colorful lighting on Howland’s muted colored set seemingly to illustrate not only the other tenants in the building, but the art of observing. 

Lewis D. Wheeler as Eddie in ‘Cost of Living’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Cost of Living focuses on the journey of living itself including the kindnesses and the sufferings people can endure externally and internally.  These four individuals have been through different degrees of hardship and find themselves having to depend upon one another for some relief as they each attempt to make a new start in life.  With easygoing demeanor and insightful charm, Lewis D. Wheeler is mesmerizing as a recovering alcoholic and unemployed truck driver Eddie.  Wheeler’s engaging opening and personable monologue pulls the audience into his consuming thoughts and complicated heartache.  Tough talking yet with penetrating vulnerability, Stephanie Gould movingly depicts Eddie’s estranged wife Ani who suffers from a shattered spinal cord as a result of a devastating accident.  Both lonely individuals in North Jersey, Gould’s dark wit with a dash of satirical humor as Ani blends intriguingly well with Eddie’s ease and their sporadically humorous banter and relatable conversations sharing their innermost thoughts, dreams, hopes, and fears reflect the nature of their longevity together.  Their tense familiarity is apparent even in their physical interactions.  As Anna Drummond’s adsorbing sound design delivers Erik Satie’s Gymnopédie in the background, this familiarity is exemplified in a rush of emotions as Eddie and Ani discuss the therapeutic power of music. 

Gina Fonseca as candid yet secretive Princeton graduate and immigrant Jess struggles to make ends meet in Brooklyn, NY and is being considered to care for Sean Leviashvilli as steadfast, cautious, and wealthy graduate student John who has cerebral palsy.  John needs someone who as he states ‘will keep me handsome’ such as shower and shave him daily.  Jess is driven and insistent that she is the person for the job, but John is hesitant because he has had other caretakers who have not worked out.  Fonseca as Jess and Leviashvilli as John share a chatty and awkward tension as they discover nuances about each other and at times strike up endearing camaraderie.

Stephanie Gould as Ani and Lewis D. Wheeler as Eddie in ‘Cost of Living’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Martya Majok’s Cost of Living not only explores surviving financially, but the risk and agony of putting trust in another person.  This show tackles some difficult and heartrending topics with a resonating message delivered with eloquence, humor and sincerity as unpredictable as life itself. 

SpeakEasy Stage Company presents Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Cost of Living live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through March 30.   Sensitively directed by Alex Lonati, this thought provoking production is 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Toting brilliant performances, Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ a twisty, no holds barred stunner

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

George and Martha are unhappy.

As they say, nothing good happens after 2 a.m.  In the early morning hours in 1961, George and Martha arrive home from a faculty party, but their evening is far from over.  Theater UnCorked offered an up close and personal peek into the brewing chaos of their living room as astonishing events begin to unfold on the grounds of this small New England college.

Nimbly directed by Ben Delatizky, Theater UnCorked presented Edward Albee’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf for one weekend only from December 6-10 live and in person at the BCA Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.  This show is divided in three parts, is a meaty 2 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions, and is appropriate for mature audiences.  Click here more information and for more on Theater UnCorked’s upcoming performances.

The cast of Theater UnCorked’s ‘Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo Credit: Gary Ng

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was also famously adapted into a 1966 Academy Award-winning motion picture starring powerhouse couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as well as Sandy Dennis and George Segal.  While all four actors were nominated for Academy Awards, only Taylor and Dennis won for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

The show opens with Martha dramatically recalling one famous Bette Davis quote, but another Bette Davis quote, ‘Fasten your seatbelts!  It’s going to be a bumpy night!’ might be more accurate.  Her husband, George is not amused.

Each member of this small cast depicts their characters with searing finesse.  Edward Albee’s renowned and controversial script adds a darkly comedic tone to these multifaceted characters and the events that follow.  At times, the show is sympathetically funny and at others, one cannot help but laugh nervously at the growing tension.  This moving, complex, and raw production successfully hinges on Albee’s meticulous pacing and critical chemistry between each of these dynamic characters.

Brooks Reeves as George and Shana Dirik as Martha in Theater Uncorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo credit: Leonard Chasse

Without a bad seat in this intimate theatre, the audience was nearly immersed in the action onstage. Mike Mcteague’s horn-infused sound design maintains a foreboding tension and melancholy between each scene while Sehnaz (Shana) Dirik’s scholarly and sophisticated retro set and props include a wet bar, large bookcases, globe, couch and dark wooded vintage style end tables with ashtrays seemingly right out of the 60s.  Popular albums of the era and turntable are on display and a particularly notable Sinatra album, My Way is cheekily front and center. Even the doorbell has a vintage and nostalgic chime.   From darkly bold to flowered pastels, Richard Itczak’s multicolor costume design accentuates each character’s unfolding disposition.

The 60’s set of Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo Credit Gary Ng
The 60’s set of Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo Credit Gary Ng

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is lengthy, but anything but boring.   These are highly intelligent and substantial individuals who share cerebral conversations, each with a veiled agenda.  With a condescending cackle, Sehnaz (Shana) Dirik portrays vivacious but worn Martha.  Dirik has remarkable chemistry with her perceptive and calculating Associate Professor husband, George, depicted by Brooks Reeves.  Reeves has a talent for bringing to life complicated characters with a dark underbelly and he and Martha teeter from malevolent to bickering to seeming adoration at the drop of a hat.  Brooks and Dirik deliver powerhouse performances because Albee’s script invites no less.  The physicality, the endurance, and the sheer energy that it takes to capture these characters can be exhausting and yet, Brooks and Dirik are more than up to the challenge.  At one point, Reeves and Dirik are so invested in the sheer magnitude of this twisty production that one cannot help but be moved by the tracks of Reeves’s tears and Dirik’s wild yearning.

Brooks Reeves as George Shana Dirik as Martha Anthony Rinaldi as Nick and Brooke Casanova as Honey in Theater Uncorked’s ‘Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo credit: Gary Ng

Anthony Rinaldi portrays affable department professor Nick while Brooke Casanova depicts naïve Honey, a polite married couple from the Midwest.  Both comically reflect what the audience might be thinking at first and at one point, Casanova as Honey is literally clutching her pearls.  They make an amiable and fascinating pair as their motivations gradually come to light in unexpected ways. 

Brooks Reeves as George and Shana Dirik as Martha in Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ Photo Credit Leonard Chasse

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf has many layers and one cannot think of how dangerous it can be to know someone all too well.  George and Martha have been together for 23 years and they know exactly which button to push for what they want.  Some marriages do not always have the other’s best interest at heart and this coupling for the ages.

Nimbly directed by Ben Delatizky, Theater UnCorked presented Edward Albee’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf for one weekend only from December 6-10 live and in person at the BCA Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.  This show is divided in three parts, is a meaty 2 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions, and is appropriate for mature audiences.  Click here more information and for more on Theater UnCorked’s upcoming performances.

REVIEW:  Central Square Theater reveals ‘Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches and Part 2: Perestroika’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

For a show about grief, life springs forth briskly inside the pristine walls of hospital quarters that house only a few scattered chairs.   The radio comes to life with a few select news and pop culture references signaling its 80s setting.  Much of what is portrayed isn’t what it seems and Director Eric Tucker and scenic designer Deb Sivigny provide order to the disarray as props twist, sashay, and sway in the semi-interactive chaos at a terrific pace.  In a particular highlight, members of the cast physically pile together to form a bed as they rely on each other for support while the dialogue flows and it all works beautifully.  Angels in America:  Millennium Approaches somehow makes sense of it as it embraces the manic nature of the world and in this genius and raw staging, consistently propelling it forward.

Eddie Shields as Prior Walter and Zach Fike Hodges as Louis Ironson in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater and Bedlam present Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning Angels in America Part 1:  Millennium Approaches and Part 2:  Perestroika at select times through Sunday, October 8 live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA.  This is a review of Part 1 which is three and a half hours including two intermissions and contains adult content, nudity, and some graphic scenes.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

This multi-talented, collaborative cast not only demonstrate physical prowess with its integral props and settings for each energetic and urgent scene, but some depict a mix of complex and sympathetic characters which intersect into different storylines.  Debra Wise slips into a beautiful Yiddish accent as a Rabbi tasked with officiating a funeral, a significant phantom from the past, and later as a stern Mormon mother.  The Rabbi’s terse, wry wit and candid delivery highlight Wise’s apt skills before she later manifests Hannah Pitt’s guarded and concerned motherly misgivings.  One looks death in the eye, one has faced death and the latter is afraid to watch.  At one point, the Rabbi examines an immigrant’s journey by exclaiming, ‘You do not live in America.  No such a place exists.’ 

Central Square Theater Angels in America Part 1 Debra Wise Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America takes off with the hustle and bustle of death and business that zings and marches as acclaimed lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn, depicted with biting wit and magnetic, yet morbid cynicism by Barlow Adamson meets his new Mormon assistant from Salt Lake City, Joe Pitt, portrayed with principled diffidence by Alexander Platt.  Adamson and Platt are quick to establish a mentorship as they learn more about each other.

Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Zach Fike Hodges, Kari Buckley, and Eddie Shields in Angels in America Part 1 Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America addresses many complex questions including the nature of love, grief, religion, freedom, and the state of the world where hope is so hidden and nearly bereft of existence.   John R. Malinowski’s menacing lighting is at once investigative and haunting as it veers and shifts so cleverly that it is difficult to tell if it is shedding light in a dark world or exposing the dark with light.  The show profoundly tackles loneliness in most of its characters and how each one of them copes with their present circumstances.  Eddie Shields as Prior Walter gets the brunt of it physically and psychologically as he is faced with HIV.  Using humor and escapism to mask his inner turmoil, Shields delivers a bold and heartrending performance facing obstacle after obstacle. 

Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Helen Hy-Yuen Swanson and Kari Buckley in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo By Nile Scott Studios

Kari Buckley suffers a quieter battle as agoraphobic Harper.  Buckley’s gleaming smile, endearing and quirky inquisitiveness, and denial masks her own inner turmoil as she turns to medication for relief and as a life raft for her unhappiness.  Harper muses, ‘People are like planets.  You need a thick skin.’ Buckley and Maurice Emmanuel Parent as Mr. Lies share some whimsical scenes that cleverly act as a relief from the heavier material.  Maurice Emmanuel Parent also portrays supportive, compassionate, and reasonable Belize who levelheadedly sets the record straight in a debate about love and politics with Zach Fike Hodges as Louis who is doing everything he can to avoid the truth about Prior’s condition.   Hodges weaves impulsively in out of the five stages of grief and in his suffering further complicates things.

Central Square Theater Angels in America Part 1 Maurice Emmanuel Parent and Zack Fike Hodges Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America is not for the faint of heart.  It is rueful, witty, cynical, sobering, and unflinchingly unearths the shadows and heartache of the boundaries of freedom in a world gone mad before it sheds some light.  Though both parts of Angels in America can exist on their own, Part 1’s conclusion leaves plenty of room for Part 2.

Helen Hy-Yuen in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater and Bedlam present Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning Angels in America Part 1:  Millennium Approaches and Part 2:  Perestroika at select times through Sunday, October 8 live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA.  Part I is three and a half hours including two intermissions and contains adult content, nudity, and some graphic scenes.  Click here for more information and for tickets.